Rationale

Objectives
Methodology
Highlights of Project Results
(Nursery study/Provenance)
Problems encountered
Road ahead
 Jatropha curcas as a
biodiesel “miracle tree”

to help alleviate the energy

crisis and generate income
in rural areas of developing
countries.
poster species among some
proponents of renewable
energy

potentially appropriate
species for the rehabilitation
of the marginal lands.
an oil-bearing, “drought
resistant” and non food
competing tree species.
a. use of improved germplasm,
selected for optimal yield of nuts
with an optimal amount of oil,
and

b. matching this germplasm to sites

with fertile soils and adequate
moisture that will allow it to
express its genetic potential to
produce optimal yields.
a. marginal lands lack either
adequate nutrients or moisture or
both

b. in the country currently we have

not yet competed the breeding
for improved Jatropha curcas
germplasm
conduct of the provenance
trial will essentially contribute
in the utilization of potentially
best source of propagule for
mass propagation and
plantation establishment.
To determine the best
source of Jatropha curcas
in the country base on the
initial seed collection.
1. Determine the silvical characteristics of
Jatropha curcas;
2. Compare the silvical characteristics of the
Jatropha curcas coming from different
provenances;
3. Determine the seed yield of Jatropha
curcas; and,
4. Identify candidate plus trees based on the
silvical characterization of the
provenances.
 Jatropha curcas
SIVICULTURAL
PROVENANCE
CHARACTERISTICS

POTENTIAL
PLUS TREES

SIVICULTURAL
INFLUENCE

Figure 1. Conceptual Framework of the Provenance Trial on Jatropha curcas.

1. Provenances planted at Mt. Makiling
Forest Reserve (MFR) are from South
Cotabato, Talisay, Davao, Surigao and
Bacolod
1. Treatments: provenances
2. Experimental design: Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD)
3. Replications: three
4. Sampling Plants: 10 plants per treatment
Table 1. Soil characteristics of the Jatropha curcas plantation site in Mt. Makiling

Provenance Plot Depth pH OM Total Avail Exch K

N P
No. (cm) (%) (me/100g)
(%)
(ppm)
South Cotabato 1 0-15 6.3 1.98 0.13 47 2.62
1 15-30 6.1 1.39 0.10 29 2.77
2 0-15 6.5 2.77 0.18 105 3.66
2 15-30 6.3 1.98 0.12 67 3.26
Bacolod 1 0-15 6.3 3.67 0.13 63 2.90
1 15-30 6.5 1.88 0.13 84 3.75
2 0-15 6.7 3.96 0.18 101 3.70
2 15-30 6.4 2.77 0.12 89 2.46
Talisay 1 0-15 6.6 2.13 0.15 92 2.73
1 15-30 6.5 2.03 0.13 86 3.01
2 0-15 6.4 2.72 0.17 38 2.78
2 15-30 5.9 1.73 0.09 3.8 2.69
RGR, HEIGHT (cm)

Sowing distance in the seedbed (inches)

Figure 2. Relative growth rate (height, cm) of Davao and Surigao

Jatropha curcas provenances in different sowing distance.
RGR, DIAMETER (cm)

Sowing distance in the seedbed (inches)

Figure 2. Relative growth rate (diameter, cm) of Davao and Surigao

Jatropha curcas provenances in different sowing distance.
 350

Seed yield per tree (gms) 300

250

200

150

100

50

0
Davao San Fernando Talisay Laguna Bacolod

Provenance

Figure 3. Seed yield per tree of Jatropha curcas provenances

planted as hedgerows at the Learning Laboratory for
Agroforestry .
 250

200
Seed yield per tree (gms)

150

100

50

0
Bacolod Davao Talisay San Fernando

Provenance

Figure 4. Seed yield per tree of Jatropha curcas provenances in 2 x

2 m at CFNR-UPLB.
 600

500

400

300
Height (cm)

200

100

0
Davao San Fernando Talisay South Cotabato Bacolod

Provenance

Figure 5. Height of Jatropha curcas provenances in 2 x 2 m at

CFNR-UPLB.
 14

12

10

8
Diameter (cm)

0
Davao San Fernando Talisay South Cotabato Bacolod

Provenance

Figure 6. Diameter of Jatropha curcas provenances in 2 x 2 m at

CFNR-UPLB.
Growth Performance of the Provenances.

Provenance PARAMETER
Height Basal No. of Crown
(cm) Diameter First Order Diameter
(cm) Branches (cm)
Talisay 264.46 a 9.73 a 3.20 a 180.73 a
Bacolod 265.53 a 10.00 a 4.37 a 156.40 a
South 283.21 a 10.10 a 3.27 a 179.57 a
Cotabato
Davao 246.69 a 7.30 b 2.77 a 126.35 a
* Means within a column followed by the same letter are not
significantly different at 5% level by Duncan’s Multiple Range Test
(DMRT).
Yield Parameter of the Provenances.

Provenance YIELD PARAMETER

Number FW of FW of No. of
of Fruits Fruits (g) Seeds (g) Seeds/Fruit
Talisay 258.67 a 3 261.33 a 761.67 a 2.63 a
Bacolod 294.33 a 2 741.6 a 838.33 a 2.58 a
South 239.00 a 3 290.67 a 845.33 a 2.68 a
Cotabato
Davao 58.67 b 601.33 b 171.33 b 2.54 a

* Means within a column followed by the same letter are not

significantly different at 5% level by Duncan’s Multiple Range
Test (DMRT).
Oil Content of the Provenances.

56

55

54
Oil Content (%)

53

52

51

50

49

48
Talisay Bacolod South Cotabato Davao
Provenance
•An increase in basal diameter would bring about an
increase in the yield of Jatropha, hence, basal diameter
could be a good predictor of the yield

•Height was not significantly correlated with any of the

yield variables

•Crown diameter was positively (P<0.05) correlated with

only one yield variable namely, fruit weight

•increase in basal diameter, which is an indicator of

good health of the plant, is accompanied by increasing
number of branches
•Significant differences between provenances
occurred only for basal diameter, or all the
provenances performed similarly in height and
crown diameter

•South Cotabato provenances emerged as the

tallest (2.83 m) 18 MAP

•Talisay provenance grew better than the other

three provenances in terms of basal diameter
(13.60 cm) and crown diameter (1.61 m)

• Davao provenance consistently obtained the

lowest values in all the growth parameters
•Large-diameter trees support more branches,
and higher yield is obtained in trees with more
branches
•silvicultural implication: spacing can be widened
without resulting in lower yield
•Bacolod provenance had the highest yield (206
kg/ha for first fruiting) and the South Cotabato
provenance was just second to it (160 kg/ha)
•yield estimates were far lower than those
commonly reported in literature for less than two-
year old plantations
•yield can be predicted using any of the growth
performance parameters except height

•Talisay, South Cotabato and Bacolod

provenances appeared to be better than
Davao provenance in terms of growth and yield,
hence, they are recommended as
seed sources particularly for sites similar to the
study area.
asynchronous flowering and fruiting making the
seed availability for the provenance trial quite
limiting
Jatropha curcas had low survival on
waterlogged areas
Fig. 6. Two-year old Jatropha curcas
planted at waterlogged areas in UP
Landgrant Real Quezon.
Fig. 7. One and a half- year old
Jatropha curcas planted at upland
marginal area in Cuenca,
Batangas
Provenance trial
should be a
continuing
research to
progress even
to progeny
testing however,
funds are
limiting to date.
Plate 1. Provenance trial of Jatropha curcas out planted as seedlings in CFNR – UPLB
Campus established in 2006.
Plate 3. Provenance trial of Jatropha curcas outplanted as
bare root (2x2m) in the CFNR – campus in October 2007.
Plate 5. Provenance trial of Jatropha curcas planted as
hedgerow in the Learning Laboratory for Agroforestry (LLA)
established in 2007.